Deciding to split H1Z1 into two games, developer Daybreak Games has announced that H1Z1: King of the Kill is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in summer 2016.
Described as a “large-scale, high-intensity multiplayer shooter comprised of a variety of new fight-to-the-death game modes,” H1Z1: King of the Kill will first come to Steam Early Access on February 19 for $19.99 (USD), before full release on all three platforms this summer.
H1Z1: Just Survive, meanwhile, is the new name for H1Z1, and will “refine its focus on delivering a persistent, post-apocalyptic, open-world zombie experience where scavenging, crafting and base-building are the difference between life and death.” Also available through Steam Early Access on February 19 for $19.99 (USD), and remaining there through 2016, H1Z1: Just Survive is planned for console release, and Daybreak will “share more details about that in the future.”
Released last year on Steam Early Access, H1Z1 saw more than 2.5 million downloads and was the #4 top-selling game on Steam of 2015 releases. After discovering that it appealed to two distinct communities, they decided to split H1Z1 into two parts, and each will be developed “with independent milestones by dedicated teams within Daybreak Games.”
Daybreak Games offered up descriptions for both H1Z1 titles:
H1Z1: King of the Kill is a large-scale, fight-to-the-death shooter where every second counts. Drop into the high-intensity, arena-style grudge match and activate your inner beast mode. Gear up fast, throw together a game plan and see if you have what it takes to be the last man standing. Rack up a kill streak, or just add to the chaos – this is a spectacle, and only one can be King of the Kill.
In H1Z1: Just Survive, the H1Z1 zombie virus has crippled civilization. Corrupted by the need to survive, gone are the comforts of society as a new normal permeates the world. You are one of the last remaining humans. Every choice matters, every moment is borrowed time and every breath could be your last. If you don’t want to join the dead – or the undead – you’ll have to be cutthroat, resourceful and alert at all times. Scavenge, craft and build to protect yourself from zombies, roaming beasts and perhaps the deadliest threat of all – fellow humans. Do you have what it takes to Just Survive?
The next game mode Daybreak introduces for King of the Kill will give an importance to vehicles, as you have to move to different areas of the map to stay alive.
Answering some questions in the FAQ, Daybreak said both games will require Daybreak Cash for optional in-game transactions on PC, with a “similar currency available when the games come to console.” At the moment, the developer has no plans to make either game free-to-play.
[Source: Daybreak Games]
